When was the village of Philo established (or recognized)? Some 1869-70 newspapers I read recently seemed to imply that the village was quite new then -- was it established after the Civil War? An ancestor of mine owned a lot in Philo village (which was traded around during his lifetime between him and his children). I can't figure out he came to own it in the first place, tho. Is there any information on the earliest laying out of Philo and the disposition of the town lots?

The Urbana Archives would have all that info. The are in the Urbana Free Library. They will do some lookups on the phone but prefer to have a letter. Phone calls are cheap so call them first. 217-367-4025

>When was the village of Philo established >(or recognized)? Some 1869-70 newspapers I >read recently seemed to imply that the village >was quite new then -- was it established after the >Civil War? > >An ancestor of mine owned a lot in Philo village >(which was traded around during his lifetime >between him and his children). I can't figure >out he came to own it in the first place, tho. >Is there any information on the earliest laying >out of Philo and the disposition of the town lots? Hi, According to the "History of Champaign County," 1905, by J. O. Cunningham: "PHILO. This town is constituted from the entire area of Township 18, Range 9, and owes its name to Philo Hale, who entered the first land within the bounds of the township. As early as 1837 Mr. Hale saw and appreciated the natural beauties of the land led, perhaps, with a view to being on or near to the line of the proposed railroad... "The first person to make a home and erect a dwelling within the town of Philo was Giles F. McGee, who in 1853, having before then entered the northeast quarter of Section 1, built thereon his home and lived there until the time of his death, which occurred about a year since. Another early settler whose coming very nearly corresponds in time with that of Mr. McGee, was William M. Hooper, who erected a very small residence upon the northwest quarter of Section 3, and lived there a year or two, when he removed to Urbana, and finally to the State of Minnesota. "Not until about 1856 did the town of Philo receive additions to its population, and, from that time on until every quarter-section was taken up and under cultivation, its settlement was rapid and always from the best quality of people. About 1856 there came a number of settlers from New England, who purchased lands in Sections 9 and 10 and other contiguous sections, and thereon erected their homes. The name of "Yankee Ridge" was given to this neighborhood on account of the section of country from which its inhabitants came. Among those who formed that colony may be named David and Lucius Eaton, with their families; George and E. W. Parker, Asa Godding, Dennis Chapin and J. P. Whitmore. Others from the same section of country came from time to time, thus giving to this neighborhood a distinctive character which it has always maintained. " Hon. C. R. Griggs, who came in 1860 and remained here for some years, and whose name figures very conspicuously in other chapters of this history, was one of this company and invested to a considerable extent in the lands of the town. Later there came the Meharrys (William and Jesse), who settled upon lands entered by their father some years before. David Silver and his sons, Wallace and John L., were also large land-owners in the town. Wallace became a citizen here, remaining so for many years until he removed to Urbana to spend the evening of his life. "Among other large land-owners in the town may be named James Johnson, Frederick Pell, H. A. Miller, H. J. Nash, J. C. Reed, D. Crawford, Charles F. Cole, John Cole, John N. Burr, Frank E. Burr, Samuel Van Brunt, E. H. Dick and Samuel Grove. ... "The village of Philo was established as a station on the then Great Western (now Wabash Railway), about 1858, and until which time there was no stopping place for trains on that road between Tolono and Sidney..."